


Road Trip

by 2nddaughter75



Category: White Collar
Genre: Fantasy, Masturbation, Multi, Pre-Threesome, Road Trips, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-03
Updated: 2014-07-03
Packaged: 2018-02-07 08:19:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1891947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2nddaughter75/pseuds/2nddaughter75
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter is concerned about Neal's future, and Elizabeth helps him realize that his interest is a little more than friendly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Road Trip

**Author's Note:**

> I've read a LOT of fanfic, but this is the first one I've written. I was on a road trip of my own the other day and came up with this idea that wouldn't die until I put it down in print! Suggestions and feedback welcome!

“… And then Diana just grabbed Ganz and shoved him right down on the hood of the nearest car like he was a puppet. These guys should learn not to question her abilities during a takedown!” Peter chuckled fondly and leaned his head back in the passenger seat as he finished telling Elizabeth about the bust. He was glad that Ganz and most of his team had been stopped, but he still felt a pang of disappointment that Ford had slipped away -- and he was bitter that Ford had used his old friend June so callously. June had known it was a possibility, of course, but Peter knew that it still had to hurt.

Peter hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the parallels between Ford and Neal, either, wondering whether Neal would be cursed to the same fate -- still obsessed with “one last big score” long after he should be retired. Peter’s preoccupation with that question was one reason he had asked Elizabeth to drive today. 

It was an early Saturday morning, and they were headed upstate to celebrate his favorite aunt’s birthday. They were always invited to these Burke gatherings, but the family had long ago stopped expecting them to attend. There were no hard feelings; Elizabeth nearly always had an event or two to manage on weekends, and Peter’s availability depended entirely on the ebb and flow of his current caseload. By some miracle, this weekend had opened up, and they were both feeling a bit giddy about their sudden decision to hit the road and surprise Aunt Nadine at the picnic celebration that afternoon. Elizabeth had made arrangements for a trusted neighbor to take Satchmo for two days, Peter had called their favorite hotel near Lake George for a last-minute reservation, and they were on the road! The skies were clear, and there was that feeling of “we can do anything” in the air!

Peter closed his eyes and felt the sun warm his lids. He inhaled deeply and tried to let his concerns about Neal release with his breath. “I was hard on him, El.” She didn’t have to ask Peter who he meant. “I worry about his ability to think beyond the moment and beyond the thrill of the ‘game.’ I worry about him turning out like Ford. I told him that IF he ever decides to grow up, he’ll have to decide whether he wants to be a man or be a con; that he can’t be both.”

Elizabeth was quiet for a moment, watching the road and noting the little sneer on Peter’s lip that said he was a little disgusted with himself. It HAD been a pretty callous thing for Peter to say. She knew that he sometimes lashed out with words, especially when he was feeling helpless. “That was a bit harsh, Peter. Neal might have poor impulse control and a penchant for rule-breaking, but he is most certainly a grown-up! He has done hard time in prison, and he has loved -- and lost -- in a BIG way.” Elizabeth let amusement and admiration color her next words. “He’s also scarily smart, insanely talented in about a hundred things, and he knows how to wear a suit and to command attention in ways that are ALL man, not boy.”

Elizabeth loved to hear Peter talk about the brilliant ideas Neal had come up with, or the latest unknown talents he had revealed. For years now she had appreciated the spark of challenge that Neal brought into Peter’s work life, first as a suspect and now as a consultant. She knew that Peter was conflicted by his own admiration and legal responsibilities when it came to Neal, but there was no denying the gifts and the magnetism of the young man. 

They had welcomed Neal into their home life, too, for many dinners and quiet evenings, especially in the past year since Kate had died. Elizabeth had come to revel in his company and to really care about him. She and Peter were always marveling, though, how they could spend three hours in casual conversation with him and yet finish the evening not knowing any new personal details. They both looked forward to a time when Neal would let down his guard and allow them to know more of his history.

“I still can’t get over that duet he sang with June the other night after dinner, El. I mean, when did he learn to sing like that? Where? Why did I not know he could do that as well as he does every other damn thing?” Peter’s mouth was hanging open in astonishment at the memory of having heard Neal sing so sweetly and easily. Elizabeth almost giggled at him.

“Oh, Hon, we really do share just about everything, don’t we?” she murmured as she scanned the highway signs to gauge their remaining drive time.

Peter turned his body slightly toward Elizabeth and frowned in confusion. “Share everything? What do you mean, exactly?”

“Well, I just mean that after being together for so long, we’re in sync with each other’s likes and dislikes… the mutual desire to go to D.C. for our next vacation, or the mutual craving for Eduardo’s pizza last night, or this mutual crush on Neal.”

Elizabeth glanced over at her husband after a few moments of hearing only silence. He looked baffled, staring at her as if she had been speaking gibberish. He finally spoke. “Crush? I do not have a crush on Neal. He is my colleague and my informant and maybe even my friend, but I do not have a crush just because I enjoy discovering new things about him!”

Elizabeth was slightly taken aback. She hadn’t meant to antagonize Peter; she had just been voicing a casual observation that she had thought was harmless. Now she had the sense that she might be treading on delicate ground. She was about to apologize for upsetting him when he began to talk again.

“He infuriates me with that nonchalant attitude, as if the law doesn’t apply to him. It’s going to bite him in the ass someday! He astounds me with his ability to see all the angles of any situation yet not see how self-destructive his own actions are! He amazes me almost daily with his natural talents, but he doesn’t see how he could use them to help people, instead of to con people! He has so much capacity for caring, El -– I’ve seen it! -– but I worry that he has spent so much of his life looking out for himself that he’ll never find the reward that can be felt by putting someone else first. I worry that he’ll make a stupid, impulsive move that will land him back in prison, where he really doesn’t belong… I worry that he’ll grow old alone, like Ford… and I want to be there to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

As she listened and as his voice died out, Elizabeth felt her heart cringe with compassion, both for Neal and also for Peter. She felt her eyes sting a bit with such strong affection for her husband. “Oh, Peter, I was wrong to call it a crush, I really was. He’s very special, and that word almost belittles what he means to us, doesn’t it? It’s LOVE, that’s what it is. When we care so strongly about someone’s well-being, and take such joy in their successes, and feel that insane desire just to spend time with them, it’s because we love them.”

Elizabeth wasn’t sure that Peter would agree to put that label on his feelings, but she herself was unexpectedly, fervently sure in her heart that he loved Neal. That they BOTH loved Neal. It might take Peter some time to come to terms with it, but she found herself warming to the realization very quickly. It felt liberating and thrilling to put it into words. 

Peter was quiet again, the look of confusion back on his face. He wasn’t refuting what she had said, just absorbing it with the respect that he usually gave her ideas. Several times he looked as if he were about to speak, but he kept closing his mouth. She always admired that Peter didn’t feel the need to fill a silence by talking. He understood the value of thinking and listening as much as speaking.

Finally he seemed to have gathered his thoughts. “You’re right, Hon.”

“You agree?”

“Yes, it’s only fair to acknowledge that I take more of an interest in Neal than in most of my other colleagues. I feel more of a connection to him, more of a concern for him. I want to be part of his life in order to continue guiding him and hopefully keep seeing him succeed. It’s accurate to say that that is a type of love.”

Elizabeth struggled not to roll her eyes. She adored Logical Peter, but she could see that he might need a little push in order to allow Emotional Peter through.

“Mmm hmm. You want to be part of his life as a mentor, right...” She bobbed her head in agreement and took on a subtle teasing tone as she continued. “But c’mon, Peter… You also want to be part of his life because HE makes YOU feel so alive! The way his clever brain keeps you on your toes, his whole playful approach to life that makes you feel young, the beautiful way he paints and sings(!) and cooks and laughs with such ease and grace, the way his smile lights up the room, the way he meets your eyes with such intensity and focus that you know he’s all yours in that moment.”

El knew she was sounding a bit dreamy as she described her own reaction to Neal, certain that Peter felt the same things. She peeked at him a few times while talking and saw his eyes glaze as he seriously considered her words. When she mentioned being the focus of Neal’s intensity, she saw Peter’s nostrils flare -- confirmation that she was on the right track.

“He makes your heart race, right? He makes your scalp tingle with awareness whenever he stands near you?” Peter looked at her quickly, a slight panic and confused guilt creeping into his expression. She reassured him. “It’s OK, Hon... I don’t think anyone is immune to that Neal Caffrey charm, but it’s especially powerful when you know the man personally -- and when you can see through the con man veneer. He knows he can’t bullshit you, Peter. When he focuses on you, it’s real, not an act. You make him feel alive, too.” 

Peter narrowed his eyes, obviously concentrating and trying to digest this idea. Elizabeth kept talking, not wanting him to start thinking and rationalizing too much.

“Indulge me for a moment, Hon. Close your eyes…” She smiled when Peter obeyed her. “Allow yourself to feel how he affects you. I’m giving you permission to indulge in a little daydream.” Elizabeth was speaking impulsively, but she had a general sense of where she wanted to go with this narrative, and she knew how to get Peter to go there with her. Her voice adopted the same sultry tone that she sometimes used on the phone with him when he was traveling and called to say goodnight. 

“Imagine you’re at the office, working late at your desk, and almost everyone else has gone home. Neal is the only other one working, doing some online research that you requested, while you finish the paperwork for a case you two just closed. You could save the paperwork for the morning, but you just want to have it all done and move on.” Elizabeth saw Peter shift his weight in the car seat, getting comfortable so that he could focus on her voice. 

“The rest of the team has gone out for a beer and shut off the main lights when they left. You aren’t sure why Neal didn’t go with them… You told him the research could wait until tomorrow, but he didn’t go. The glow from his computer is the only light down in the bullpen, and even the overhead motion light in your office has clicked off because you’ve been nearly motionless at your desk for so long, filling out that paperwork. It’s taking so long because you keep getting distracted by Neal. He’s down there at his desk, wiggling a pen nonstop in his left hand while he operates the mouse with his right hand. His jacket is off and he has rolled up his sleeves. You can see the muscles of his forearms flexing. He'll lean in toward the screen periodically, staring intently at something, then he’ll flop back against his chair, frustrated. His feet are wide apart, and his right knee bounces up and down. He’s so full of restrained energy. That knee just bounces and bounces. It mesmerizes you.

“Suddenly he’s leaning in your doorway, knuckles rapping on the frame. You hadn’t even noticed him standing up and coming to your office. You startle but glance down quickly at your desk, trying to look like you’re working, wondering if he has caught you staring. He saunters over to the side of your desk --”

“Saunters over, El?” Peter murmurs, eyes still closed but crinkled from a slight smirk.

“Hush, Peter. Yes, he saunters. Neal Caffrey does not just ‘walk.’ Now, if we may continue… 

“He reaches the side of your desk -- not across from you but right beside you -- almost before you realize that he’s moved again. He has some of the research to show you. He stands next to you, flipping through the pages. You can see illustrated (and probably ostentatious) remarks in some of the margins, but you just can’t concentrate on what he’s saying. His lean thigh is right next to your elbow, and the proximity is making the hair on your arms stand up.” 

In the car, Elizabeth actually can see goosebumps on Peter’s arms when she glances over again. He is wearing short sleeves this morning, but she knows he isn’t cold. She can also see that his breath rate has sped up slightly as he allows himself to get lost in her story.

“You decide to stand up, too, so that you’ll be on even ground, but that’s a mistake. Neal doesn’t step back to give you any space, and you swear you can feel body heat just radiating from him. It makes your skin flush a bit, and you start to feel that prickle of perspiration under your collar. You realize that you can also smell him... It must be a combination of his aftershave, his hair products, his deodorant... and it occurs to you that it is intimately familiar, that you have smelled him hundreds of times before. The nearness, the heat, the scent, it’s all got you feeling a little off-kilter.”

Elizabeth is trying to keep her eyes on her driving, but she’s having so much fun leading Peter through this little fantasy, and she can’t help noticing how this is affecting him. He is unconsciously rubbing under the collar of his navy blue polo shirt, and she can see the signs of heat blotching across his neck.

“Neal says something clever and funny, as he always does, and you can’t tear your eyes away from his mouth as he laughs at himself. You didn’t even hear what he said, but his laughter is infectious, and you start to laugh, too. Your voice dries up moments later, though, when you notice that he is staring at your mouth now. He stares for a few seconds before looking up at you. You’ve looked each other in the eye before, of course, but it’s never been like this. For some reason, tonight you feel exposed, dissected, like he can see what you’re feeling. But you can see it in him, too…. You can tell that he’s also aware of your closeness and your warmth.

“Out of habit and good manners, you break the silence to ask if he’d like a ride home, although part of you just wants to get away from him tonight, ASAP. He accepts your offer, though, and you both go about gathering your coats and heading for the elevator.

“Like I've seen you do sometimes, you lay your hand on Neal’s back as you let him precede you out of the office. The heat of his skin radiating through his shirt takes you aback. You catch Neal’s eye again as he turns toward you at that moment. You don’t know why you're so aware of each other right now, but it’s almost like your bodies are having their own conversation as the two of you wait for the elevator and make small talk. Neal looks at you sideways and asks if you’re feeling OK and whether you think you ought to be driving. You tell him you’re fine, just tired -- but really you’re feeling almost feverish, and you know you’re breathing a little hard. You’re noticing every shift of fabric across your skin when you move, and every noise seems a little louder than it should.

“When you can finally get on the elevator, it feels like Neal is standing too close to you, even though the car is otherwise empty. Is he doing this on purpose to put you out of your comfort zone? The whole ride down, he’s chattering on about a concert he’s attending with June on the weekend and some fancy dessert he’s planning to make for her granddaughter’s birthday, but you can’t absorb it. His eyes, his warmth, his smell again -- it’s about to drive you crazy in this confined space. It continues as you get in the car and drive him home.

“When you pull up outside June's house, Neal turns to you and smiles again. It doesn’t feel like a joke or a con; it feels real, and the smile is in his eyes, too. He thanks you sincerely for the ride and reminds you to drive home carefully. Then, just before he gets out, he reaches out with his left hand and pats your right knee, giving it just a little squeeze before he is abruptly gone. Your breath hitches and you feel a tingle at that spot. Has he patted your knee before? You really can’t remember. If he has, it certainly hasn’t affected you in the same way.

“Suddenly you’re on fire, wanting to get home. Your pulse is pounding, your brain is spinning. You want to regain control of your body’s reactions. You think maybe you’ll take Satchmo out for a jog to help get rid of this tension.”

Elizabeth had been sneaking peeks at Peter as she drove, mostly just to make sure that his eyes were staying closed and that he was continuing to pay attention. She needn’t have worried about either thing. She allowed herself a longer look now and noticed that he was squirming around in his seat and frowning a little… definitely feeling antsy, which was just the way she wanted him.

“Your drive home goes by quickly, thank goodness. You get a parking spot near the house and hurry inside.

“As you turn from the door, you see me stretched out on the couch, reading. I’ve had a long day, too, so I’ve changed into ‘something a little more comfortable’ already. As I stand up and take off my reading glasses, you're pretty sure that you’ve never seen these pajamas before... I come forward to greet you with a kiss, and you are definitely liking this new, satiny tank and shorts set. They’re cornflower blue with lace all around the edges, and I'm clearly not wearing anything underneath. Hmmm, all that pent-up energy and tension of yours may have found an outlet.

“You look me up and down as I’m coming toward you. I can see an intensity on your face that I haven’t seen for awhile. Your eyes are sparkling, and when I get close, you reach out to grab my hips. I laugh a little and stumble forward until our lower bodies are pressed together.”

Peter made an appreciative noise over in the passenger seat and lifted his hips to adjust his pants. He had definitely progressed from “uncomfortable” to “aroused.”

“Mmm, I can tell that you’re a little wound up tonight! You rub your thumbs over the slippery fabric of my waistband and then slide your hands down to grab my ass. I can feel your hardness pressing into my belly already. Wow, it can’t be just my pajamas -- you were well on your way to excited by the time you saw me. Not that I mind, obviously! You leave your left hand on my ass and move your right hand to the side of my head to pull me in for that kiss. You haven’t even spoken since you came in the door, so I guess this is your ‘Hello!’”

Elizabeth reached over to Peter's side of the car and gently ran the backs of her fingers along the side of his left thigh. He immediately grabbed her hand and pressed it hard into his leg, running it up and down the front of his quad muscle and letting out a low growl. She could tell that he wanted her to touch his erection, but he was allowing her to develop the story and take the lead. His eyes were still closed.

She left her hand palm-down near his groin and resumed talking. “We make out for awhile, rough kisses that reveal how hungry you’re feeling. It works for me; your urgency is contagious. You back me up against the living room wall and give me another quick kiss as you take a step back, breathing raggedly. You rub both your hands up and down my bare arms while we catch our breath. 

“After a few seconds, you look up at me, and I see a brief glimpse of surprise and recognition. ‘The same damn eyes,’ you murmur. ‘They’re the same!’ I know what you’re seeing… I noticed a long time ago that Neal and I have the same eyes. I guess you hadn’t really looked at his until earlier tonight at the office, and now you can’t stop seeing them when you look at me.

“I rub my palms across your chest, and you hiss, your skin hypersensitive and tingling. I drag my hands down to your belt, unbuckle you, and reach inside to close my fist around you. Mmm, you are so hot and hard already! I love having your silky cock in my hand -- it feels strong and powerful. With one hand, I loosen your tie and undo your first couple shirt buttons, while I gently stroke you with the other.”

Elizabeth stretched to pull open Peter's belt as she described doing the same. She couldn’t really grasp him while still controlling the car, but Peter got the hint. He leaned his seat back and opened his pants to enjoy his own touch while he listened to his wife's story.

“You’re leaning in to me now, hands on the wall on either side of my head, and I stretch forward to lick and kiss the base of your neck. It’s salty; I can tell you’ve been sweating a little. The taste ramps up my desire. I’m squirming against the wall, and I use both hands to pull on the backs of your thighs. I need the contact of you pressed against me.

“We’re kissing again and rutting against each other. It feels so raw and animalistic! You drag both your hands down my neck and onto my chest. You can easily feel my nipples through the thin fabric, and they get more and more pronounced as you rub and gently pinch them, and you even lick them right through my pajama top!

“I’m ready for more. I groan loudly and push your pants and boxers down below your ass. You lift your head to look me in the eyes again, and I don’t know if you’re seeing mine or Neal’s this time, but it doesn’t matter. There is fire and lust in your look, and it sends a surge of arousal through me.

“Suddenly you take my upper arms and spin me to face the armchair. You pull both my wrists to the small of my back and march me forward a couple steps, as if you’re arresting me, until I’m leaning forward onto the padded back of the chair. You keep one hand on my wrists and use the other to pull my shorts down to my knees. With your foot, you nudge my feet apart slightly until the shorts are stretched tight, restricting me.” 

Peter’s hands were moving steadily in his lap now, teasing up and down his length and rolling and tugging at his heavy balls. His cock looked swollen tight, and Elizabeth could see the milky fluid leaking from the head of it already. The fantasy she was trying to create for him was clearly striking the right chord.

“You go down on your knees behind me now to rub my ass and the backs of my thighs, but I leave my wrists where you’ve put them. I want you to put your mouth on me, to lick where I’m swollen and wet for you, but you avoid it and leave me wanting while you kiss everywhere else instead. 

“Standing back up, you finally shove your pants and boxers to your knees and crowd against me, your cock heavy against the crack of my ass. You tilt my hips back and use one hand to guide yourself steadily into my wet heat. It takes a couple adjustments to find the right angle from behind, but it feels amazing! Tight and urgent, with the perfect friction.

“Your right hand returns to hold my wrists at my back, and your left sneaks around to my stomach to brace me against your steady thrusting. I’m helpless, but it’s OK because you’re taking care of me, making me feel SO good. I lay my cheek against the back of the armchair, and you put your forehead on my upper back for a few moments, never stopping your smooth slide in and out of me.”

Peter had both hands tightly fisted around his shaft now, lifting his hips off the seat in a steady rhythm. Elizabeth knew she would need to bring her story to its climax soon if she wanted to keep up with him. She yanked open the car’s armrest compartment, grabbed a handful of napkins, and reached over to place them on Peter’s stomach. He grunted in thanks.

“I brace my feet to push back against you, and I can tell you’re getting close from your noises and the way you’re snapping your hips. Your left hand slides down from my stomach, through my rough hair and just beyond. You can feel how swollen I am, and you use just the right pressure and speed to rub me there. I can feel my arousal climbing and my wetness increasing to ridiculous amounts. It’s driving me crazy to be trapped the way I am, but crazy in a good way. 

“You abruptly bend forward again and bite down on the back of my neck as you stop your hips and start to shake against me. The shock of the bite sends thrills through me, and I feel my own arousal hit its peak. I’m clamping down on your cock hard, pulsing against your fingers as you continue to stroke me gently and rock into me. 

“We gradually go still and sag against the chair for a minute. As you go soft inside me and pull your hips away from mine, I feel your hand fist into the hair at the back of my neck. You use it to pull me upright roughly and kiss near my ear. I turn and smile at you. ‘Good evening, Agent Burke!’”

The real-life Agent Burke chuckled tiredly from his place next to Elizabeth. He had timed his orgasm perfectly with her story and was now folding up the sticky napkins that had caught his mess. He closed his pants and put his chair back up before leaning over to kiss his wife’s cheek. “That was a nice addition to a Saturday morning drive.” She grinned at him and turned her attention back to the road as he slowed his breath and stared out the window for a few minutes.

“You were trying -- not too subtly, I might add -- to get me thinking about Neal in a ‘romantic love’ kind of way. Why?”

Elizabeth was glad that Peter had worked his way back to their earlier conversation, and that he didn’t seem upset about it.

“Because I think you already love him, Peter, and not just as a mentor. I know I love him. I’ve only just found the words for it myself, but it’s real. It doesn’t diminish the love and commitment we have for each other, at all; it’s just a fact that another person has found a special place in our hearts, too.”

Peter took a minute to let her words sink in. “I haven’t really ever let myself think about him that way, El. If it’s true, what would we do about it? What are you saying?”

“I don’t know. I only just started thinking about it myself. We don’t have to do anything. I’ve never felt like there was anything lacking in OUR relationship. But it’s true that Neal makes you feel alive, right? Makes your heart go pitter-pat, if you let yourself admit it?” Peter nodded reluctantly, a blush staining his cheeks. “It’s OK, Peter. Like I said before, I feel it, too. And I think Neal is worthy of being loved and of having the kind of happiness in his life that we find in each other. If he might possibly feel the same way and be able to find that love in us, why would we keep it from him?” 

Peter looked a little overwhelmed. “That leads a person’s thoughts in a lot of different directions, El. I think I’m going to have to sit with these ideas for awhile. I do know that I’m very lucky to have such a caring, generous wife -- who, by the way, has apparently been holding out on me with her erotic storytelling capabilities! Now I’m going to be staring at you through the whole picnic this afternoon, trying not to imagine you -- or Neal! -- getting me hot and bothered. 

“As soon as they’ve served cake and ice cream, we’re outta there! I’m glad our Inn is only a half-hour from the park… If our room has a padded armchair in it, Mrs. Burke, you might be getting up-close and personal with this arresting officer!”

Elizabeth laughed out loud then grinned secretively and calculated the hours until the party would be done and they’d be in their room. She couldn’t wait for Agent Burke to discover a certain new set of pajamas in her luggage! Suddenly her life seemed full of possibilities.

**Author's Note:**

> This could very well become a series... Thoughts?


End file.
